Compare towns
Dover vs Hooksett vs Manchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most people working from home (18.6%).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.4%).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Dover | Hooksett | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364 |
5,876Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+27.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
42.6±2Highest about the NH average |
38±1 12% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Manchester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
20.7%±3.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Hooksett and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±3.7Lowest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Manchester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$101,053±$25kHighest about the NH average |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
| Hooksett and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
$348,100±$32kLowest 14% below NH |
$365,600±$7k 9% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,811±$283Highest 21% above NH |
$1,564±$37Lowest 5% above NH |
| Hooksett and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$4,960Lowest 26% below NH |
$5,922 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
46%±20.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Manchester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% NH: 72.8% |
72.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
29 minHighest 9% above NH |
24 min 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.4%±4.6 NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | — | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | — | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
NH average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.